Veterans are pleading for action to keep VA hospitals across Alabama and the country from closing due to a shortage of government funding.

Signs greeted drivers as they passed by Tuscaloosa’s VA Hospital on Friday. The signs urged public support for veterans to continue receiving care.

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"We made a promise to America's veterans that we would take care of them when they come back, and we think the VA does this better than anybody else," said Tammy Ryan with the American Federation of Government Employees.

Tuscaloosa’s VA Hospital also provides employment to local residents. Organizers of the picket said roughly one-third of the hospital’s 1,000 employees are veterans.

"When they're shutting down the VAs, they're failing the veterans,” said Terrance Merriweather, who is an employee and a veteran. “The VAs are for us, by us. So, that's the most important thing."

As many as 1,600 veterans seek health care at the Tuscaloosa VA Hospital. Organizers said privatizing health care for veterans is not a good fit.

"We just feel like turning this over to a private company would lead to, you know, for profit,” Ryan said. “They're only concerned with making profit.They're not concerned with taking care of our veterans."

Supporters of VA hospitals said they plan to continue pushing lawmakers to oppose bills that negatively impact veteran health care.